Romania's National Liberal Party (PNL), the junior ruling partner of the Social Democrats (International Socialists member), announced it had been accepted as a full member of the International Democratic Union, a global association of conservative parties. 

"The National Liberal Party is the oldest centre-right party in Europe, and we share the same centre-right values ​​with IDU members, such as political and individual freedom, equal opportunities, support for the private environment and respect for the rule of law," former Romanian prime minister and PNL president Nicolae Ciuca said.

Founded in 1987 by Britain's PM Margaret Thatcher, then US Vice-President George Bush Sr, Paris Mayor and later President of France Jacques Chirac, and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, IDU later accepted as full members parties seen as "illiberal" such as FIDESZ of Viktor Orban in Hungary. 

Orbán is not the only voice from the radical right involved in the IDU. Ted Cruz, who has perpetuated Donald Trump's myth of a stolen election in 2020, gave the keynote speech at the IDU's annual conference in Washington, DC, in December 2022.

In Austria, IDS is represented by Österreichische Volkspartei of Karl Nehammer and in the United States by the Republican Party.

Among the Honorary Board members are former UK prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss and Austria's ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

iulian@romania-insider.com

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